Yahoo Sports 2024 NBA playoffs: First-round scores, schedule, times, TV, key stats, who to watch
The Oklahoma City Thunder were 40-42 last season and didn't make the playoffs. This season, they were 57-25 and earned the top seed in the Western Conference.
In 2022-23, the Minnesota Timberwolves were 42-40, and this season, they finished 56-26, the No. 3 seed in the West.
The Orlando Magic had just 34 victories last season and posted a 47-35 mark this season, good for the No. 5 seed.
While it's a changing NBA in some ways, some things are familiar. The Boston Celtics went from 57-25 to 64-18 (top seed in the East), and the defending champion Denver Nuggets had four more wins this season, finishing 57-25 (second seed in the West).
Will one of the upstarts get to the NBA Finals or will the two teams (Celtics, Nuggets) many expect to get there meet for the title?
Here are NBA series matchups and schedules for the first round of the playoffs:
Eastern Conference first-round series, schedules
No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
Celtics win series 4-1
Game 1: Celtics 114, Heat 94
Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 101
Game 3: Celtics 104, Heat 84
Game 4: Celtics 102, Heat 88
Game 5: Celtics 118, Heat 84
Key stats: The Celtics finished first offensively (122.2 points per 100 possessions) and No. 2 defensively (110.6 points per 100 possessions).
Who to watch: The Celtics have the best starting five: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.
No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers
Knicks win series 4-2
Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104
Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101
Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114
Game 4: Knicks 97, 76ers 92
Game 5: 76ers 112, Knicks 106 (OT)
Game 6: Knicks 118, 76ers 115
Season series: Knicks won 3-1
Key stats: Four teams finished in the top 10 offensively and defensively, and the Knicks were one of them.
Who to watch: Jalen Brunson and his ability to carry the Knicks without Julius Randle, and the Sixers have two All-Stars in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers
Pacers win series 4-2
Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94
Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 108
Game 3: Pacers 121, Bucks 118 (OT)
Game 4: Pacers 126, Bucks 113
Game 5: Bucks 115, Pacers 92
Game 6: Pacers 120, Bucks 98
Season series: Pacers won 4-1
Key stats: Get ready for scoring. The Pacers had the No. 2 offense (120.5 points per 100 possessions), the Bucks are No. 6 (117.6 points per 100 possessions) and neither ranked in the top 15 defensively.
Who to watch: The health of Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (missed final three regular-season games with a strained left calf), and Damian Lillard (sore adductor muscle) and the Tyrese Haliburton-Pascal Siakam playoff debut for the Pacers.
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Orlando Magic
Cavaliers win series 4-3
Game 1: Cavaliers 97, Magic 83
Game 2: Cavaliers 96, Magic 86
Game 3: Magic 121, Cavaliers 86
Game 4: Magic 112, Cavaliers 89
Game 5: Cavaliers 104, Magic 103
Game 6: Magic 103, Cavaliers 96
Game 7: Cavaliers 106, Magic 94
Season series: Tied 2-2
Key stats: The Magic’s No. 3 defense (110.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) vs. the Cavaliers’ No. 7 defense (112.1 points allowed per 100 possessions).
Who to watch: Second-year All-Star Paolo Banchero and third-year forward Franz Wagner are appearing in their first playoff series, and the Cavaliers feature Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley – a formidable inside-outside foursome.
Western Conference first-round series, schedules
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans
Thunder win series 4-0
Game 1: Thunder 94, Pelicans 92
Game 2: Thunder 124, Pelicans 92
Game 3: Thunder 106, Pelicans 85
Game 4: Thunder 97, Pelicans 89
Key stats: The Thunder were one of two teams to finish the regular season with a top-four offensive and defensive ranking.
Who to watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams of the Thunder are the present and the future.
No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
Nuggets win series 4-1
Game 1: Nuggets 114, Lakers 103
Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99
Game 3: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105
Game 4: Lakers 119, Nuggets 108
Game 5: Nuggets 108, Lakers 106
Key stats: The Nuggets are No. 5 offensively (117.8 points per 100 possessions) and No. 8 defensive (112.3 points allowed per 100 possessions).
Who to watch: Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, a wizards with the basketball, may just end up winning his third MVP in four seasons, and LeBron James and Anthony Davis are back.
No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns
Timberwolves win series 4-0
Game 1: Timberwolves 120, Suns 95
Game 2: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93
Game 3: Timberwolves 126, Suns 109
Game 4: Timberwolves 122, Suns 116
Season series: Suns won 3-0
Key stats: It’s the Timberwolves’ top-ranked defense (108.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) against the Suns’ No. 10 offense (116.8 points per 100 possessions).
Who to watch: Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony form a Big 3 for the Timberwolves, and Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal do the same for the Suns.
No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks
Mavericks win series 4-2
Game 1: Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
Game 2: Mavericks 96, Clippers 93
Game 3: Mavericks 101, Clippers 90
Game 4: Clippers 116, Mavericks 111
Game 5: Mavericks 123, Clippers 93
Game 6: Mavericks 114, Clippers 101
Season series: Clippers won 2-1
Key stats: Who likes offense? The Clippers are No. 4 (117.9 points per 100 possessions) and the Mavericks are No. 8 (117 points per 100 possessions).
Who to watch: The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden present problems on both sides of the court; Dallas’ Luka Doncic keeps inching closer to an MVP.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoffs 2024: First-round scores, schedule, times, TV, key stats
